If You Listen Closely
by The Great Kisai
Summary: Since he was young, Kyouya has chosen business over pleasure and listened to his father without thinking twice. But when he's forced into a mission that challenges what few morals he has in order to get what he's wanted his whole life, what will he do?
1. Introduction

**Title: **If You Listen Closely

**Description:** Since Kyouya can remember, he has always chosen business over pleasure and listened to his father without thinking twice. But when he's forced into a mission that challenges what few morals he has in order to obtain what he's wanted his entire life, what will he do?

**Pairing(s):** I'm going off the manga so there will definitely be TamakixHaruhi, ReikoxHani, and a bit of KasanodaxMei. The rest of the Host Club will be paired with original characters.

**Rating:** T _for now_ but the rating will probably go up to M in the future.

**Side Notes:**  
>- If there is a series of italicized words, then it's a flashback.<br>- The setting is in the future, therefore, Kyouya is not a high school student and is in adulthood.  
>- This may contain a few manga spoilers!<p>

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><p>Love is silly. Useless. What does anyone need love for? Technically, all a person needs to survive is food, water, and oxygen. Love has nothing to do with any of the three. Yet, why do we strive for it? The concept of love is not only befuddling but completely idiotic. Love does crazy things to a person. Sometimes, it drives people to the point of physical pain. The twisting of one's chest, the tight throat, and let's not forget the disgustingly sweaty palms. Love was nothing but a burden and was only for those of whom were not determined enough to reach his or her goals. Or so Kyouya Ootori thought.<p>

"_Kyouya," the low voice of Yoshio Ootori split through the silence of the dark, tense office. "Tonight is the night."_

_Those words. There was no need for further explanation._

"_Yes, Father," was his simple reply as his gray hues gazed out the window to the darkening sky._

As he stared at his reflection from his bedroom mirror, memories of the past swirled about Kyouya's head. Disturbingly enough, the memory of the beach trip with the Host Club and the night where he had pinned Haruhi Fujioka to a mattress was the most prominent.

"_You won't do it, Kyouya-Senpai. I know because it wouldn't do you any good. You wouldn't gain anything from it."_

Her words beat through his head violently like a drum line.

Merit. Business. Wealth.

Was that all Kyouya did things for?

No, of course not. He shook his head slightly as he tightened his tie. That notion was completely absurd. Although more often than not, Kyouya found himself choosing business over pleasure, it wasn't always the case. There were certain gestures he made that showed that even the coldest of men have a heart.

As if on cue, the black bundle of fur yawned with a muffled meow and stretched its legs across the Ootori's bed.

Noel.

A ghost of a smile tilted his lips upward just slightly as his eyes averted to the reflection of his sleek cat napping at the edge of his mattress. Never in his life had Kyouya been an animal person. As a child, he wasn't allowed and as he aged, Kyouya learned from Tamaki's dog, Antoinette, that animals were nothing but a handful and required constant attention. Attention that Kyouya would never be able to provide. However, this animal was different.

When Hotta, Kyouya's bodyguard, found Noel, it seemed that the poor cat was at his deathbed. With scratches across his body, little patches of fur missing, and a thin figure, Kyouya was sure that the feline would not last within the hour. But something within him drew him to the animal.

Before he knew it, Kyouya had requested that Hota carefully pick the cat up from the steps leading to his mansion and bring him inside.

Of course, not much effort from Kyouya had to be put towards healing the tattered cat. As soon as he had taken a step onto the door mat, a group of maids were there to greet him.

Immediately, the Ootori staff took action and Noel was treated in a royal fashion. Food, water, rest, and a couple of bandages was all the cat needed. But even so, Kyouya couldn't help himself from keeping an eye on him.

The next morning, although Noel's injuries hadn't dramatically improved, when Kyouya checked up on the cat, he noticed that it looked different. Replenished almost. With the proper care, he was sure it would survive.

That day, Kyouya had softened a bit internally and it was decided that the cat would be a permanent resident in his household.

He sighed inwardly as his long legs swiftly carried him over to his bed and his fingertips reached out to gently stroke Noel's slick fur. Even his former act of kindness could never over-shadow what he would soon be doing.

Of everything Kyouya had ever done for merit and business, this had to be the icing on the cake.

_**An arranged marriage.**_

It was as if he were a sell-out.

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><p><strong>AN:** I'm still just a little bit rusty with writing so I hope this was interesting. This first little snippet is only the introduction and I'll definitely be posting the next chapter shortly. My goal is for this fanfiction to actually be finished, not rushed, and as in character as possible.

*Noel is actually **not** made by me. I should have explained this the first time around, since I'm actually updating the Introduction a little bit. There's a bonus chapter in the manga that explains the Ouran characters' futures which inspired this story. I'm sorry if there was any confusion! I encourage everyone to read the bonus chapter if they're confused. Things will probably be more thoroughly explained in the third chapter if you don't want to read the manga.

Even though this is only the introduction, I'm sure that this is going to become my baby. With all the work I've put into this and notes that I've taken down, I'm already attached to it, haha!

**Please review!**

I'm eager to know what everyone thinks about this.

- _Kisai-Chan_


	2. Chapter 1

"_You have one year, Kyouya. Produce an engagement and the company is officially yours," his father said, his tone business-like as usual although there was an unusual hint of amusement lying underneath. It was as if he were dangling meat in front of a starving dog._

_Did Kyouya really want the company that badly? He'd already proved to his father that if he wanted the company badly enough, it was his. However, taking it by force was not what he wanted to be remembered for. After all, he'd promised himself years ago that he'd make a name for himself while respecting his brothers and not stepping on their toes. Surely it was more honorable to receive the company fair and square and let Yuuichi have a fighting chance, right?_

"_One year," Kyouya repeated, practically tasting the words as his father nodded._

"_It won't be easy, Kyouya. Do not underestimate this challenge. Not only is this the daughter of the largest shipping industry in all of Japan but they are also one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in the world. A marriage between the two families would certainly benefit one another greatly," Yoshio explained, his eyes cast downward as his chin rested atop his folded hands._

"_I understand," Kyouya responded curtly, turning to leave._

"_Before you leave, there's one last thing you should know," his father added, stopping him in his tracks. "She does not and will not know of this arrangement."_

_Kyouya's eyes widened slightly as an uneasy knot began growing in the pit of his stomach. For once, Kyouya Ootori was confused. Was his father suggesting that he fool a girl into a marriage that not even he wanted?_

"_Konoe-sama was actually the one who suggested it, if you're wondering," Yoshio cut into his youngest son's thoughts, as if he already knew what he was thinking. "Apparently his daughter is against arrangements as such and has refused in the past."_

"_Father, isn't this a bit conniving?" The Ootori son asked, keeping his composure as his father stood and took steady steps toward him._

"_Perhaps it is. But if you want this company, it must be done," Yoshio placed a cool hand on his son's shoulder and leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. "Listen closely to these instructions, Kyouya. In order to make this happen, you will court her. Be polite and give in to whatever she may want. Understand that the Konoe family will probably be one of the most important assets the Ootori's will ever have."_

Parties hosted by the Ootoris were nothing shy of exceptional. While most hosts tended to speak to only the most important of guests, Yoshio had made it a point for he and his sons to greet everyone, even if only for a moment. The atmosphere was always light and comfortable, which made for easy convincing of potential business partners, and the food was phenomenal. Only the best for the wealthy was how these arrangements worked.

Above the crowd of wealthy business men and women stood the youngest Ootori and his father on a balcony only they had access to. Soon, the party would be at its climax and it would be time for Kyouya to commence the operation.

"That's her," Yoshio commented lowly, as if speaking loudly would attract the attention from the guests below.

Kyouya silently began scanning the crowd below the balcony. Everywhere he looked, the women looked the same. Large hair-do's, floor length gowns that sparkled, and glasses of champagne held in silken gloved hands. He suddenly wished that instead of reminiscing, he would have done some much needed research on the Konoe family in order to identify this woman.

"By the back door," his father interrupted. "In the red."

Kyouya followed as directed and sure enough, there she was. Although she was a woman of high social standing, Kyouya was almost pleasantly surprised by her appearance. Her long black, hair seemed simple, as if it was merely brushed out prior to her arrival, her dress was knee length and didn't look as if glitter were spilling off of it and onto the marble floors, and it appeared that her face was make-up-less. Overall, judging by her appearance, she seemed very refreshing.

"What do you know about her, Father?" The youngest Ootori asked, watching the young woman laugh and interact with an elderly couple.

"Nothing the general public doesn't already know. Her name is Anastasia, a rather abnormal name compared to her siblings' traditional Japanese names, she's the youngest of six, and she's twenty-two. If I'm not mistaken, she'll be completing college in the spring. I couldn't be bothered to look much further into her," Yoshio spoke smoothly, his expression almost bored as he continued. "From personal observation, she seems to be even-tempered and ladylike. I'm sure she'll make for an excellent bride," he concluded, pushing up his glasses in a Kyouya-like fashion.

"I see," Kyouya answered, tugging his suit jacket down as he began walking away. If there was ever a good time to introduce himself, now was it. "Let the games begin..." he whispered to himself.

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><p><strong>AN:** I didn't want to bore any readers with an author's note as soon as they open the first chapter, so here it is at the bottom! I updated this quicker than I expected because I've had a couple chapters written out for a couple weeks now and just couldn't resist. This is the last "explanation" bit and I promise I'm not trying to draw this out into an enormous amount of chapters. I'm just trying my best to make it flow easily.

The next chapter will probably be posted tomorrow and is about 150, maybe 200, words longer than this was. (I'm referring to the actual content without my author's note, by the way.) So the chapters will progressively become longer and more eventful as it gets cranked up.

To _Gloriaa01_ and _Ryomaeijiarehot_, thank you for being the first two to review! They both gave me confidence and I appreciate it greatly. For any other readers: **review, pretty please!** I know you're out there and I'd really love to know what other people think, haha!

Anyway, have a lovely day, everyone, and I'll update soon!

- _Kisai-Chan_


	3. Chapter 2

Letting out a breath, Kyouya gently tucked one hand into his trouser pocket and walked toward the girl gazing out the back window. Somehow, he felt as if he were interrupting something as he stopped beside her and put on a fake smile. "Konoe-sama," He said in his signature host tone, "I trust that you're enjoying the party."

"Ah, of course," the girl mumbled, caught off guard as her cheeks were stained red by a blush. "Ootori business engagements are always excellent. But to be honest, business parties in general don't really interest me."

_Shameless and somewhat blunt._ Kyouya made a mental note of this.

On instinct, one hand rose to gently stroke his chin while he racked his mind for ways to please her. "Is there anything I can do to make the experience more enjoyable?" He asked, his voice dripping with an abnormal amount of kindness.

"Well," she bit her lip nervously as her gaze turned to the glass door beside her. It was clear to him that she thought she was out of place to be asking for much more at such an extravagant party. "I couldn't help but notice the garden out back and-"

Kyouya removed his hand from his pocket and raised both in a motion to stop her. "Say no more. Please come with me, Konoe-sama" he said, holding his arm out for her to take.

With a side-ways glance, the much shorter girl nodded and gently linked her arm with his as the pair exited the building.

Much like most strangers, their movements were rather stiff but the silence that hung about the pair was contradictory. Being among such a magnificent display of flora left nothing to say. The Ootori garden spoke for itself and was truly a sight to see, even during the night. All that could be heard were the soft clicks of their shoes touching the brick walkway and the faint sound of laughter coming from the building left behind.

It was a while before the silence was broken but even then, it was such a small gasp that one had to be paying close attention to hear it. Out of mild curiosity, Kyouya looked over to see her gaze locked on the large fountain that would normally be missed due to the dark night.

"I see you're admiring the fountain," Kyouya commented, guiding her towards it. "This is my sister's favorite part of the garden as well. It's a shame that we don't use it very often."

"It's so beautiful though," Anastasia said, taken aback by the design as she released his arm and quickened her pace towards it. "My family has three fountains but none of them are like this." It was true that such a fountain was practically one of a kind and a rare find in anyone's home.

The design was unique. Like most outdoor fountains, the bottom started as a regular wide pool made of brick but in the middle stood a tall marble masterpiece. From the base to the first bowl, it looked almost like a series of vines wrapped around a cylindrical peg. The first bowl was very wide, had a victorian trim along the edges, and the peg leading to the second bowl had vines similar to that of the very bottom. The second bowl was similar to that of the first, as was the peg, but at the top of the fountain sat a piece that resembled the hat of a court jester's.

Kyouya watched, slightly amused, as the girl walked around the brick barrier to observe the fountain at all angles. It was rare to find someone as interested as she was in art these days.

_Appreciative of fine architecture._ Kyouya made yet another mental note to add to his file as soon as he returned home.

"Here, Konoe-sama," he said gently as he crouched down and pulled a brick away from the bottom, only to flip on a switch and replace it.

Immediately, lights began to flicker on and water began to pour from the bowls in separated streams.

"Magnificent..." she mumbled, her lips parted slightly in awe.

Nodding in agreement, Kyouya sat down on the brick ledge and shifted to watch the water fall as well. "You can sit down, if you'd like," he said, being sure to keep his voice soft as to not disturb her.

Without saying another word, she sat beside him and lost herself in the smell of the fresh gardenias around them, the sound of the water trickling, and the sight of the work of art before her.

Once again, it took a rather long time for either person to make a sound. It felt as if time had stood still as the few happy memories he had of his family played in Kyouya's mind and as Anastasia wondered what artist was able to design such a thing.

"Y'know, Ootori-sama," Anastasia said softly, her eyes reluctantly parting from the marble. "I get the feeling that you're putting on a facade. Like you're not usually this nice."

Quirking an eyebrow, Kyouya turned his head so that they were face to face. "What do you mean?" He asked, unable to hide the bit of amusement in his genuinely curious tone.

"Don't play dumb," she said with a laugh. "You don't have to be nice to me just because I'm a Konoe and you certainly don't need to be so formal."

Kyouya stared at her feeling dumbfounded as her joyous laugh rang through the garden like wind chimes in a summer breeze. Never in his life had he been told that he was 'playing dumb' nor had anyone, besides the commoner, been able to decode him so well. True, she hadn't hit the nail dead on but she had in fact tapped it.

_Perceptive. _He noted as his lips slowly shifted into a smirk. "Is that so..."

The applause of the guests indoors sounded just as the clock struck midnight, interrupting their conversation as Anastasia stood and slid her purse from her shoulder. "It looks like the parties over, huh?" Anastasia commented with a smile as she opened the bag with a soft click, pulled out a small card and pen, and began to scribble away quickly.

"Here. It was nice meeting you, Ootori-sama," she said before turning away to quickly make her way back into the building and leave.

Holding the card delicately between two fingers, Kyouya read the front which held her phone number and flipped to the back to find a short message. _**Call me some time! - Ana-chan.**_

"Interesting and clearly much more than what meets the eye," Kyouya made his final note out loud as he gently tucked the card away in his pocket for safe keeping and idly strolled back inside to report to his father.

Maybe his father had been right. This was not a challenge to be underestimated.

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><p><strong>AN: **I'm glad that I got to hear what people thought on the first chapter of this. So far, so good. I hope this chapter was good and flowed easily. I've noticed that with some fanfictions, the girl can overly unique. I wanted her to be different but not to where she's so different that a girl like her doesn't exist in the world.

I took a suggestion and put up my vision for Anastasia on my profile. If I can find an outfit like the one she wore to the party, then I'll gladly post that up as well.

There seems to be a bit of confusion on Kyouya's age, which I've placed in the Introduction to make sure that no one else gets confused. The story is set in the future and Kyouya is a legal adult so my intention was not to make Ana a cougar, ahah! If you go to the Introduction and look at "**side notes**" then I've made it to where everyone will be able to see from now on.

For those of whom reviewed, thank you very much! Although this doesn't have very many yet, the ones I have are positive and help me better myself as a writer. Also a big thank you for anyone whose read this but hasn't reviewed. I know I'm getting quite a few hits and visitors on this so obviously people are reading! As much as I'd like to turn on anonymous reviews for anyone without a Fanfiction account, I've learned various other websites, such as Formspring and Tumblr, that no good can possibly come from allowing people to say something anonymously.

The next chapter should be up within maybe a day or two.

**Remember to review, pretty please!**

**- **_Kisai-Chan_


	4. Chapter 3

Blonde eyebrows furrowed in frustration as a fist beat on a side door of the Ootori mansion. For the most part, all was silent within the walls of the household but this man was determined to get in. It was absurd to even think that someone would sleep in even past the hour of seven!

"Hello? Someone!" The man cried, ready to bang on the door once more before it swung open to reveal a rather disheveled – and pissed off – looking maid. The sight was only brushed off by the man as he offered her a wide grin and a laugh.

"Machi-san!" His voice pierced through the silent morning, causing the elderly maid cover her poor ears.

In the Ootori household – or at least within Kyouya's private wing – very little staff was awake or even present by ten o'clock, by their young master's request. Never in his life had he been a morning person, so in exchange for their late awakening, their hours were extended later into the night.

On the off chance that he actually be awake early enough for breakfast, Kyouya knew that he could simply call to the main house and have the extra workers serve him until his own had arrived. It was an arrangement that no one seemed to mind except for the people who didn't even carry the Ootori name.

"Suou-sama, I'd rather you not break the door. It's rather expensive and I'm sure Ootori-sama would not be very happy," the woman commented, stepping aside to let him in.

"That wasn't my intention, Machi-san! Honest!" Tamaki cried loudly, dramatic tears welling in the corners of his eyes as he slid his shoes off and slipped on a pair of blue house slippers. Not even past the threshold of the building, Tamaki had probably awoken a few other live-in servants.

"Will you be quiet?" The woman known as Machi whispered sharply, clearly tempted to slap a hand over the other's loud mouth. It was an action she was sure would not be reprimanded by the young master. "You know it's hardly 10:30, right? There's no chance that the young lord will be awake this early. If you expect any of the staff to wake him up, you're on your own," she said with a yawn.

No one ever dared to trespass into Kyouya's room uninvited, much less wake him up before his desired hour.

"But it's important that I be here! You know as well as I do that that Kyouya takes _years_ to wake up and today's an important day! We're going t-" He was cut off by a loud "shush" and couldn't help the blush rising to his cheeks.

"I said shut up!" She whispered again before pushing him in the direction of Kyouya's bedroom. "If you want him up, fine. But don't tell him I let you in."

With a squeak of happiness, Tamaki all but skipped to Kyouya's room and slowly pushed open the door.

Over the years, Kyouya's room hadn't changed much. On the first level was something similar to that of a living room that Tamaki could remember spending such wonderful times with his best friend throughout the years. The furniture was mostly white leather and looked so clean that it looked uninhabited.

As he climbed the small flight of stairs to the second level, which was more of a balcony with a railing of steel and glass, Tamaki admired the artwork and few photographs on the wall. Although he would never admit to it aloud, Kyouya was a bit of an artist. Painting was a hobby of Kyouya's that only Tamaki had the pleasure of knowing.

"Kyouya!" Tamaki sang out, reaching the top of the stairs, his eyes traveling about the wide space. To the blonde, it looked as if a tornado had run through his bedroom, leaving papers scattered everywhere. "You shouldn't just leave all of this laying around for maids to clean up. Sheesh," He muttered under his breath as he walked forward to pick up the papers.

Although Tamaki knew better than to snoop around in someone else's business, he couldn't resist the curiosity as a picture of a woman stood out amongst them. "Who is this...?" Tamaki asked out loud as he flipped through a few papers. Relationship records, schooling information, medical documents.

Suddenly, it was as if a light bulb turned on in Tamaki's head. Kyouya was making a file of a _woman _he was _interested in_. The former host king couldn't help but snicker at this as he placed the messy stack on Kyouya's desk. He knew he'd be pushing his luck if he continued to flip through the papers without Kyouya's permission. The Shadow King always had a good sense about snoopers.

Crawling into bed next to his best friend, Tamaki laid down so the two were face to face. "Mon ami! Time to wake up!" He sang cheerfully, pushing on the dark-haired man's shoulder.

As usual, there was no sign of Kyouya waking up – or even being alive, for that matter. Not only did he hate rising early but he was also one of the heaviest sleepers Tamaki knew.

With a sigh of annoyance, Tamaki shook him harder to the point of rolling the man over, earning a groan. "So you're alive, Kyouya! Excellent. Now it's time to wake up!" Tamaki sat up on his knees to bounce the bed obnoxiously. Surely Kyouya couldn't sleep through a make shift earth quake!

Sitting up slowly and nearly falling back against his pillows more than once, Kyouya uttered a low growl. "And what do yo think you're doing at my house this early in the morning, you idiot?" He muttered, a deep purple aura surrounding him as he turned toward the blonde.

"K-K-Kyouya... Y-you're being scary," Tamaki stuttered while backing away from the vicious man.

"Who let you in? Tell me. He or she, along with the rest of his or her family, will be deported," Kyouya spoke lowly, his voice laced with sleep as he struggled to keep his heavy eyelids open.

"Mon Ami, please don't do that! Besides, if you don't get up, you'll be late to the party," Tamaki begged, falling off the mattress and rolling on the floor to lengthen the distance between the Low Blood Pressure Demon Lord and himself.

The words Tamaki spoke began to slowly sink in and the glow of purple disappeared as if it were never even there in the first place.

With a sigh, Kyouya looked over to his nightstand, checked the clock, and put his glasses on. "You idiot, the gathering isn't supposed to start until noon," Kyouya growled as his eyebrow began to twitch in annoyance. "I could have slept for another half hour. What were you thinking?"

Gulping loudly, tears began to gather in the corner of Tamaki's indigo hues. "Please don't be mad, Kyouya! I was just so excited. We only have a party twice a month and I just wanted to make sure you were ready and... and... and... Oh, Mon Ami! Please don't kill me!" He wailed dramatically, bowing down to his friend.

"Give me an hour," was all Kyouya said as he got out of bed and made his way into his bathroom.

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><p>Since the graduation of Haruhi, Hikaru, and Kaoru, the hosts had made it a tradition to get together twice a month for a meal over the weekend. Whether it be breakfast, lunch, or dinner, it didn't matter to anyone so long as the group was able to catch up with each other and have a nice time. They'd also made a tradition that the person hosting the party would move in rotations. Much to everyone's pleasure, this time happened to be Haruhi's.<p>

"Hey, everyone! We're here!" Tamaki shouted as he ran across the grass of the Suou estate's back yard with his best friend in tow by the wrist.

The former members of the Host Club all stood to greet the poor Shadow King with grins on each of their faces while waving. The thought "that poor man" ran through everyone's mind as he was tugged along by the energetic blonde.

"You wouldn't guess how hard it was to wake this log up and get him ready! He fell asleep tw-" Tamaki was cut off abruptly by Kyouya pinching his hand and shooting him a glare that said, "Say another word and you'll find yourself waking up, disoriented, and trapped on an island less that ten feet wide."

"I'm sorry we scheduled lunch so soon, Kyouya-senpai," Haruhi said sympathetically with a bow. "I suggested we push it back an hour but Tamaki wouldn't hear anything of it."

Kyouya waved her off and nodded. "No need to apologize, Haruhi. It wasn't your fault."

With the final greetings said and done, everyone sat down to a feast prepared by their favorite commoner. Although everyone was used to eating meals made by the finest chefs of the world, it was always a pleasure to eat what ever Haruhi made. There was a certain sense of warmth that her cooking held that no professional would ever be able to achieve.

"So, Hikaru, how's that new game of yours coming along?" Haruhi asked, dabbing her mouth with her napkin as she set her fork down and listened intently.

"Yeah, yeah! And what about that clothing line of yours, Kaoru?" Hani-senpai asked excitedly, swinging his feet back and forth.

Hikaru wrinkled his nose at the thought of his team of graphic designers. "It's been so-so. You would think that people under the age of twenty-five would know what's in style and what's actually fun. I swear, it's as if they were born adults, they're so boring. Luckily they work for me and I'm there to supervise what goes on." He smiled as he ate a piece of steamed broccoli.

Kaoru couldn't resist a laugh as he leaned back in his chair and placed both hands over his stomach. "Well, it's been pretty great, except for my main model for the children's line. She's such a diva," He spoke, rolling his eyes as his friends laughed.

"Yeah, Ageha can be a pain in the butt. When I offered her one of the games I was working on, she threw the DS across the room and stuck her tongue out at me! I wonder where she got such an attitude from," Hikaru pouted as he thought of the little devil that was his little sister.

"Oh yeah, I wonder," Haruhi mumbled sarcastically.

Sitting up straight, Kaoru folded his arms over the table and grinned at his eldest senpais. "How are your families doing, Hani-senpai? Mori-senpai?"

The shorter senpai – that sadly only grew three inches after graduation – couldn't help but smile. "All's been well. Reiko-chan loves the Haninozuka estate and has taken up watching the students practice karate. She doesn't say it out loud but I know she really likes kids," Hani-senpai couldn't help but speak fondly of his wife as his eyes softened at the thought of her. He'd been the first of the club members to marry, much to everyone's surprise, and thoroughly enjoyed the married life.

"And you, Mori-senpai?" Hikaru asked curiously as the taller senpai dabbed at his mouth.

"Very well," he said curtly, earning a bubbling laugh from his better half.

"C'mon, Takashi! Give them the news!" Hani-senpai placed a hand on his cousin's arm and shook lightly as he bounced in his seat.

With an embarrassed sigh, Mori-senpai cleared his throat and smiled. "Pregnant," he uttered, his cheeks flushing slightly with a pinch of pink as everyone erupted in cheers and offered him congratulations.

"That was fast, Mori-senpai!" Hikaru teased as the normally cool and collected man's mouth hanged open and his cheeks flushed even further.

"Enough teasing Mori-senpai. We're all really happy for you," Tamaki said with a smile as everyone began to slowly regain composure.

"Congratulations once again, Mori-senpai," Haruhi placed her hand on his arm and gave him a gentle squeeze as the color slowly faded from Takashi's overheated face.

Kaoru began to stir his iced tea with his straw as his eyes bounced from member to member. "We all know about Haruhi and the king's engagement already but what about you, Kyouya-senpai? You're the only one who hasn't told us about what's been going on in your life."

Kyouya's eyebrows barely rose as he set down his tea cup and folded his arms across the table.

"I can't say I've been up to anything that would catch anyone's interest. Simply business as per usual," he said in almost a bored tone, although the uncharacteristic gentle smile gracing his features would say otherwise.

"No girlfriend? No dates? Not even a one night-?" Hikaru was cut off by Kyouya's sharp glare and the clearing of his throat.

"I would appreciate it if you wouldn't be so vulgar, Hikaru. But no to all of the above," Kyouya picked up his tea cup and took a hearty sip as Tamaki's eyebrows furrowed.

"But what about all those pictures and papers in your room, Okaa-san?" Tamaki asked loudly, causing everyone's ears to perk up as an audible choke sounded from Kyouya.

"Hikaru, look! The Shadow King has lost his composure!" Kaoru pointed out, his eyes wide with curiosity.

"But that's not the amazing part, Kaoru!" Hikaru shouted, standing up to stand by his senpai's side and taunt him devilishly. "Kyouya-senpai lied to us. He _does_ have a girlfriend," his voice lowered as a smirk took its place on his mouth.

Standing up to take the opposite side of Kyouya's, Kaoru chuckled and placed a hand on his senpai's shoulder. "I bet he was just too shy. He's probably romantic like Boss and didn't want us all to find out that he's not as cold as he looks," he spoke in the similar low tone as his brother.

"I would suggest you stop or should you find yourself waking up in twenty-four hours in a vessel at the bottom of the ocean with less than two percent oxygen remaining," Kyouya threatened, a glare taking over his glasses and making his eyes completely unreadable as he smiled politely. "And Tamaki, why exactly were you snooping through my things? Whether they were laying about my room or not, they were not there for you to look through. Have you heard of something called privacy? Surely you could learn what privacy means in a cabin lacking electricity, signal for communication, and water at the top of Mount Everest, yes?"

With a girlish shriek, Tamaki hid behind Haruhi and cried. "I didn't mean to snoop through your things! I was just cleaning up for you and happened to see it! I promise, I'll never snoop again. Please, just don't send me to Mount Everest!" Tamaki begged as the palm of Haruhi's hand slapped against her forehead.

Sighing irritatedly, Kyouya pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his nose and looked directly at Tamaki. "To correct any further speculation, the woman is not my girlfriend."

"What is she then...?" Tamaki asked weakly, still hiding behind his fiancee.

"Business," Kyouya said simply, taking a sip of his tea and leaving everyone confused.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I know it's been a while since I've posted. I was supposed to have it up ages ago but I had a bit of a case of writer's block and was unable to complete it as scheduled.

I can't say that this is going to be updated daily like it was in the beginning but I'll try to post the chapters as quickly as I can. Like most, school has been going on and I've been tied up. I'll be writing a lot of the chapters, outlines, and notes in my notebook at school if I have spare time in order to help speed up the process but let me tell you, writing is so much more difficult than typing. I can't simply go back willy nilly should I make a spelling error and I'm a bit of a perfectionist when I write anything down on paper. I can't stand having it be a mess.

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. It just updated everyone on what the other hosts have been up to. Like the Introduction that included Noel, Haruhi and Tamaki's engagement, Hikaru's gaming, Kaoru's clothing, the character Ageha and her personality, and Hani-senpai's marriage is all cannon. I just added a few little bits here and there.

I've been debating on whether or not I should turn on anonymous reviews and I think I might in a little while. I'm really curious as to what people think of this.

But for now, if you have an account, **review, review, review! **

I really want to know what you all think.

- _Kisai-chan_


	5. Chapter 4

With a deep breath, Kyouya Ootori pulled his coat down and gazed out into the dark busy street of Japan. Although it was impossible to see on the outside, a knot of nerves was growing in the pit of his stomach. It was the price he had to pay for playing such a dangerous game for his father and he knew that he could afford to make no mistakes.

There he stood in front of the Gonpachi restaurant maintaining a patient, well-composed look upon his face. Being the wealthy, proper gentleman he was, Kyouya refused to look anything but. The Ootori was absolutely determined that tonight would go as planned without a single hitch.

Although he'd scheduled his reservations for seven o'clock on the dot, Kyouya had arrived a good fifteen minutes prior to ensure that he be seated as such. Earlier in the afternoon, Tamaki had pestered him for hours about joining the rest of the club on an outing to a commoner's bowling alley, to which he'd stood his ground and denied. When asked what his other plans were, he'd made sure he'd given no indication of where he may be or who he may be with. After dealing with Tamaki's antics, he'd checked up on the dozen yellow roses he'd ordered to see that no rose was out of place.

The low purr of a car pulling to a stop in front of him caught Kyouya's attention and he put on his best host smile. Getting out of the car was none other than the girl he was to make his wife, Anastasia. "You're looking well, Konoe-hime," he said, offering her the yellow bouquet, taking notice of the short white dress she wore with pale colored heels.

She accepted the roses with a smile but showed no indication of swooning like he'd done to the many girls that used to visit the Host Club. Kyouya had to resist his eyebrow from twitching as he held his arm out for her to take. Never had he been unable to make a woman head over heels with his charm.

"Thank you for the roses," she said politely, walking slowly with him through the front door. "They're absolutely lovely."

Kyouya nodded before walking her into the building and pressing the up button on the elevator. From the way things were going, Kyouya could foresee the night continuing completely as planned. But little did the Ootori know, that his dinner would include six unexpected guests.

* * *

><p>From the corner of the first floor, four mouths hanged open wide while two sets of eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of the owners' heads.<p>

"Was that-" One devilish redhead asked.

"Kyouya-senpai-" His lookalike continued.

"On a _date_?" They sounded together, catching the attention of a few guests around them.

"Shh, you troublemakers!" The blonde leader of the pack said through gritted teeth as a fist landed on each of their heads. "Who knows what kind of demon powers Kyouya possesses. If we're not careful, he'll find out we're here and then we'll be in deep trouble!"

Haruhi sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Of course Tamaki would find out Kyouya's secret plans and concoct some convoluted plan to stalk him. _Of course_ he couldn't do it by himself and put his own life in danger so he'd drag along all of his friends. "I should have known this would happen," she mumbled to herself as her eye began to twitch in irritation.

"Hey, hey, Tama-chan! How did you even find out where Kyouya-chan was in the first place?" The older, but oddly shorter, blonde asked with the tip of his finger resting on his chin.

"I have my ways," Tamaki said with a wink.

* * *

><p>As the pair reached the top of the elevator shaft, they were immediately greeted by a host and taken to their table. Being the extravagant man that Kyouya was, he'd made sure to rent out the entire floor of the building and have the head chef working to prepare their meals.<p>

So far, so good.

"What a nice choice of restaurants, Kyou-kun," Anastasia said with a smile as Kyouya pulled her seat out for her and she sat down.

"I'm glad you like it," he said with a nod before taking his own seat.

Anastasia nodded back politely before opening the menu placed in front of her as Kyouya followed suit.

Everything in this restaurant was over the top. From the giant lobsters to the finely prepared steaks, there wasn't a single flaw, and the prices would make any commoner's mouth create a crater in the ground below. However, as members of higher class, neither of them found this unusual.

Closing her menu silently, Anastasia rested her chin on the palm of her hand and looked out at the city below. If there was one thing that could win her over, it was the scenery. The top floor of the building offered a truly magnificent view of the city below. The twinkling lights of the buildings, the people passing by, and cars driving every which way was fascinating, even to the richest man or woman.

As Kyouya's menu closed, a waiter was there quickly to assist the pair and back in no time with champagne flutes and a rather large glass bottle.

"So how have you been, Konoe-hime?" Kyouya had asked after a long pause of comfortable silence and various sips of champagne.

"I've been better. My father's had me running errands left and right all week and this is a nice break from it all. I enjoy calm places like this," she said, her tone warming up more than it had previously as she folded her hands in her lap.

"I can see how that would be stressful. I'm glad to have gotten you out in time," Kyouya commented with a chuckle as the corners of Anastasia's lips twitched slightly into a more genuine smile. He couldn't help the similar smile creeping up on his lips as he took notice of this.

* * *

><p>As the elevator dinged softly, the crew of hosts piled out of the elevator and hid behind a plant much too small to contain all of them and far too close to the pair idly chatting.<p>

A pair of blonde eyebrows furrowed in frustration as he watched the two interact. Although the date didn't feel as "lovey-dovey" as he'd expected it to, Tamaki was surprised to see how comfortable and genuine the two looked around one another. It was refreshing to see his best friend interacting in such a way with a woman but it angered him to know that Kyouya hadn't trusted him enough to tell him about such an important event.

"How could yo-" Tamaki began before abruptly being cut off by the small hands of Haruhi Fujioka.

"Tamaki, you idiot!" she whispered sharply, ruthlessly pinching his cheek. "Are you trying to get us all killed by the Shadow King?" she quipped before slowly turning around to check on whether or not the blonde had ratted them all out.

* * *

><p>"Did you just see that?" Ana asked slowly, her eyebrow perking up in curiosity as she point behind Kyouya in the direction of the dark corner in which the hosts were hiding.<p>

"Hm?" Kyouya turned his head to the side in a quick glance and shook his head. "No, I didn't. The entire floor has been rented out for tonight. What did you see?" He asked politely but obviously paying no mind to her accusation of seeing something.

"I'm not sure... I guess it was just my imagination," she mumbled before leaning forward closer to the man. "So, Kyouya-kun, what are some of your hobbies?" she asked, her tone genuinely curious taking the male across from her aback slightly.

Kyouya swallowed thickly as he set his glass down and followed his hands in a similar fashion as she, over the neat, black cloth covering the table. "Well, I guess I'm simple. I rather enjoy business and accounting. People tell me I'm quite talented at it, in fact," he said honestly, racking his mind for what he considered hobbies.

The reaction of the girl across from him was nothing Kyouya had expected.

Laughter.

Ana laughed joyfully, her cheeks turning pink as she leaned back in her seat and her hands folded over her abdomen. "Kyouya," she said in between her fit of giggles, "I didn't mean what you do for a job. I meant, what do you do for fun?" she corrected herself as Kyouya's cheeks turned an uncharacteristic shade of pink in embarrassment. How could he tell her that he had understood her original question and that his answer was serious?

Kyouya sighed inwardly, making sure to display no signs of distress on his face. "Well, I'm not sure I have one," he said, sounding almost childish in his own way. Then again, he was somewhat offended. How dare anyone laugh at him.

Ana stopped laughing before looking him directly in the eye. "Come on, Kyouya, everyone has a hobby. Like me, I enjoy reading and knitting," the girl said in an attempt of encouragement.

"Well, I do have one," Kyouya said, clearing his throat. He knew that if Tamaki were here, he would be highly upset with him for revealing one of the few secrets that had been kept just between the two of them. "I enjoy painting..." he said slowly, averting his eyes, embarrassed by having not been more interesting.

"Painting? That's lovely!" Ana exclaimed enthusiastically. "Could you show me something some time, Kyouya? I bet you're a wonderful artist!" She laughed joyously and placed her hand overtop his.

Kyouya nodded as he saw through the corner of his eye the waiter coming out with a tray. "It looks like our food is here," he said gently.

* * *

><p>"D...did Kyouya just..." the words seemed stuck in the king's mouth as he watched Ana place her hand on top of Kyouya's. "That was... that was Kyouya's secret for me!" Tamaki shouted fully as he stood up and the rest of his friend held on to his legs for dear life.<p>

"How dare he tell some strange woman a secret that was only our's! Mama, how could you! Mama doesn't love Papa anymore!" he wailed, shaking his friends off before charging directly toward the table.

"Oh god, we're really dead, now!"

"Kyouya's going to kill us all!

"..."

"Tama-chan, stop! Please, wait!"

"Tamaki! Watch out for the-"

Ana yelped as a plate of noodles flew through the air and hit her directly in the face before sliding down over her chest and down to her lap. In that moment, it seemed that time had seized to exist and everything was happening in super slow motion.

In one moment, Tamaki had been running towards the table, in the next, the waiter had walked out with a tray full of food, and in the last, the two had collided and sent the food flying everywhere.

Haruhi slapped her hand over her face, as if pretending that what had happened was all a horrible nightmare, Hikaru and Kaoru were somewhere between laughing hysterically at the situation and panicking because they'd been caught, Mitsukuni and Takashi chose to cower in the corner together hoping they weren't noticed, and Kyouya... Well, a vein had made itself prominent in his forehead as he stood, ready to kill.

After a long moment of silence, Kyouya whispered through gritted teeth. "What are you doing here?" He asked, his fists clenched as he stared mercilessly at his blonde friend.

Before Kyouya had time to yell, Ana stood, causing the food to slosh down to the ground and placed her hand on Kyouya's arm. "Kyouya-kun... Ah..." she mumbled, almost in a daze. "How about we get this mess cleaned up first and then ask questions later?" she asked slowly as Kyouya's face softened slightly and he took in the mess of his date.

Ana was covered head to toe in food. The white dress she'd been wearing was now, obviously, ruined beyond repair by a brown sauce. Plates were broken along the ground from the fall and the expensive champagne he'd bought had spilled over the entire table, leaving nothing left in the bottle.

"Haruhi," he demanded, causing the girl to snap to her feet in an instant. "Escort Konoe-hime to the rest room and get her cleaned up."

Haruhi hadn't waited more than two seconds before gently taking the girl's hand and finding her way to a restroom.

"Hikaru, Kaoru, I suggest you call the custodians from the first floor up here," he ordered threateningly, meaning that there was no nonsense in his request.

"Yes, sir!" the two shouted in a military manner before scrambling to find the phone.

"Mori-senpai, Hani-senpai, please calm down the kitchen staff," he said, less angry as the two slowly took their post.

"Sure thing, Kyou-chan!"

"Un."

"And Tamaki..." Kyouya looked at the blonde that was also covered in food. "Your wallet," he said menacingly, a dark aura surrounding him as his best friend scrambled to pull the leather bill fold out of his pocket.

"K-Kyouya, what are you planning to do? Please don't have me deported. I... I swear, this was just an accident," he cried, slowly handing Kyouya his wallet.

"Don't be stupid," he said, flipping through it. "You'll be paying for this meal and the damages three times over," Kyouya seethed, taking out a gold card before tossing the wallet to Tamaki's feet and walking toward the man who'd initially greeted he and Ana.

"And if you think this is over," Kyouya said, stopping but not bothering to turn around, "think again."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** This chapter is very late and was very difficult to get out. Normally, the writer's block I have doesn't have me stuck for so long but this one nearly killed me! I tried to make the situation as realistic as possible but everything kept coming out wrong. Here it is though and I hope it wasn't too bad!

In the time it took to take a break on this, I've already written a few chapters ahead so, hopefully, it'll be a lot faster. I sincerely apologize for not keeping my promise to update quicker but things happen, I guess.

If you would, so kindly, **review**! I could use a little feedback on how I'm doing.

Also, before I finish this quick A/N, I would like to wish everyone a happy new year! I'm definitely late saying this but the meaning is the same!

- _Kisai-chan_


	6. Chapter 5

Kyouya heaved a sigh as he fell back against his soft mattress. Never in his entire life had he felt so utterly humiliated. Sure, there were multiple times in high school that Tamaki had mildly embarrassed him but not to such an extent as he did last night. Just the thought of Tamaki made him groan and have the sudden urge to throw a childish tantrum.

The Ootori rolled over before burying his face into his sheets. Last night's event was a complete disaster.

_Kyouya stood awkwardly beside a wet Ana, his hands stuffed deeply into his pockets. He didn't know what to say, but then again, what was there to say? Sorry? Only a fool would think that sorry could suffice for such a terrible night._

_Not only had Kyouya spent a small fortune on the night alone, but Ana's dress was ruined, getting closer and the hopes of ever being called back was non-existent, and there she stood shivering because of her clothes that had become wet due to her attempt at trying to clean herself off. Not to mention, they'd been asked to exit the building and forced out into the cool night air._

"_I, uh, had a nice time, Kyouya," she murmured awkwardly, her arms folded across her chest as she tried to keep warm. "And it was nice meeting your friends," she added in an attempt at staying optimistic as nodded to the group, huddled beside them._

_Kyouya shook his head before sighing and shrugging off his suit coat. "You don't have to lie," he spoke gently before placing the black coat around her shoulders. "Feel free to say that tonight was a complete disaster."_

_She averted her eyes as heat creeped up on her cheeks. "No, you're wrong. I got to spend time with you and see a different side of you. I'm glad," Ana mumbled quietly, confusing Kyouya._

_Before he had a chance to say anything else, the sound of a car pulling up broke through the quiet._

"_That's my ride," the girl declared, walking up to him as her chauffeur took his place at the passenger door. "Don't beat yourself up, 'kay?" She reassured him, standing on the tips of her toes to softly press her lips against his cheek._

Kyouya placed his hand against his cheek, as if her touch had been a dream. How could someone be so pure?

As if on command, Kyouya's phone lit up and Ana's picture displayed on the screen.

He smiled.

"Hello?" he asked smoothly, rolling over and sitting up.

"Kyouya?" he felt his stomach lurch. "How are you?" Her soft voice sounded through the speaker, followed by a sniff.

"Ah, I'm fine," he responded politely, unconsciously picking at a loose string hanging off of his blanket. "Are you alright?" Kyouya asked, the sniff not going unnoticed by him. Was she crying? Was she hurt? More importantly, why was he so concerned? The thoughts racing through his mind a mile per second made his head spin.

"I've been better. It seems I've come down with a cold though," Ana laughed, followed by a soft cough. "It probably would have been a better idea to properly dry off last night. But when I got home, I was just too tired and couldn't help myself from going straight to bed."

Guilt.

Rarely in his life had Kyouya ever felt this but when he did, he knew that there was no doubt that the situation had been his fault. She hadn't said it but he knew better than to believe such a blatant lie. She was sick because his idiot friends had spilled food on her and the staff had kicked them out.

"I apologize, Ana. I should have had someone run and get you a change of clothes. Is there anything I can do for you?" Kyouya asked, genuinely concerned.

"It wasn't your fault and I don't want you to go out of your way for me... But it would be nice if you could keep me company. My parents won't let me go out anywhere and I feel like I'm trapped and will die of boredom any second," she said, laughing.

"Say no more. I'll be over as soon as possible."

Kyouya got up from his mattress, closed his phone, grabbed his set of keys, and left.

* * *

><p>Ana smiled and folded her hands over the soft, pink blanket that lay over her lap. "It's nice to see you again, Kyouya," she greeted, rocking back and forth in the white rocking chair that sat on the winding back porch of her parent's home.<p>

Kyouya sat down in the chair beside her and took in the view of her backyard. For an early December afternoon, it was unseasonably warm and the bushes had been kept alive with yellow roses attached to them.

For a long while, the two sat in a comfortable silence. All that could be heard was the sound of the chairs creaking and the leaves rustling in the gentle breeze.

"You know, last night, I was so nervous about our date," Ana confessed after a long while. "You can ask my mother or even the maids. I didn't know what to wear, how I should do my hair or make up, and I didn't want to say the wrong thing or seem too eager."

Kyouya chuckled at this. remembering how he'd felt when Ana was so casual. He'd been annoyed to think that someone would be so unappreciative of his efforts but, in the end, it was good to know that it had been a simple misunderstanding.

"I mean, usually my dates are complete duds that my parents set me up with or I chase them away because of my name. Once, one boy told me that I was just too much to handle... I guess I just wanted you to like me," her voice trailed off softly, clearly embarrassed, as Kyouya turned to look at her.

For the millionth time since they'd met, or so it felt, Kyouya caught himself entranced. Even in an old cardigan, hair done up in a messy bun, and the fact that she had a cold, could not mar her natural beauty.

Kyouya cleared his throat as he made sure that she had enough time to regain composure. "You should never feel as though you have to walk on eggshells. You just have to be who you are because that's more than enough. Any man who can't 'handle' you because of who you are or your name is no man at all," he said in his signature 'as-a-matter-of-fact' tone. "...You're lovely." He finished, watching as she giggled bashfully.

The rest of the afternoon flew as the two of them talked about everything and nothing. He learned that her favorite color was yellow, she had a bit of a sweet tooth, and her favorite season was winter because she loved wearing sweaters. She learned that he loved spicy foods and could tolerate it better than most and that, even though his friends had a tendency to ruin things, he cared about them more than he could possibly say out loud.

Before he'd even realized it, Kyouya had said more than he ever thought he would to her. In some sense, it scared him. No one knew that she was the gentle spring that would end of the cold winter storm his heart had been frozen under for so long.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** It's been a while since I've decided to update this. While I've had the chapters ahead written for _months_ now, I've found that my writing is inadequate and my original character is becoming too one dimensional. It's taken me a hot minute but I believe that I can get back into writing this soon and, hopefully, I'll receive good feedback in the future. For those of whom have read up until now, I appreciate your support more than you can imagine. Thank you. x

- _Kisai-chan_


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